


The Element of Shadow

by Articray200



Category: Club Penguin
Genre: Emotional/Psychological Abuse, I don't know what crack I smoked making this fic, Minor Character Death, Multi, Shadow Penguins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:48:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22732822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Articray200/pseuds/Articray200
Summary: All was normal until the day Sensei's Shadow Talisman shattered. The one element he chose to hide from the world has finally broken free and set the residents of Club Penguin Island into a war against themselves. With enemies from all sides, nobody is safe.Sometimes, you are your own worst enemy.
Kudos: 20





	1. Jet Pack Guy

**Author's Note:**

> Hello fellas. Part of this story branches off from a roleplay I did with a few friends on Discord, so some things might seem strange. I'll do my best to clarify if any of you have questions! Do let me know if you see something odd. I hope you enjoy the story.

_There is one more element that I have neglected to tell all of you about: the element of Shadow. About twenty years ago, I happened upon a sacred artifact: the Shadow Talisman. A creation of immense energy and power, it threatened to throw the entire world out of balance as it was unrestrained and uncontrolled. This Shadow Talisman was the progenitor of the amulets you now hold within your grasp; the one wrapped around my neck is the original—the first. The black gem that lies at the center is a manifestation of your spiritual energy, and it can never disappear much like your actual shadow._

_Though I myself have no idea where this talisman originates, I know for a fact that the black gem it contains can create more of itself, multiplying with each ninja that chooses to undertake the art of Card-Jitsu and forcing them to duel a shadow of who they are within. I regret not confronting my own from the start, as I have no doubts that he's free. You may have noticed that within the past few days, the black gem on your amulet has cracked. That is my shadow attempting to free your own into the world. Your mastery over the other three elements have kept it locked in your amulets, but I fear they won't be held for long._

_Ninjas of fire, water, and snow, your final journey towards becoming a Card-Jitsu master is finally here. I have no doubts that_ **_he_ ** _will be watching closely._

* * *

Guy was one of the first to notice something was off that day. First, they got a Field Op telling them to head to the Dojo—bad news, as the Dojo’s usually never a concern on Club Penguin Island. Right before they had gotten there, Guy could’ve sworn he saw smoke rising in the distance. It wasn’t the usual dark grey he was used to, looking thinner, mist-like, and soot black. Yet with a blink of an eye, it was gone, and Guy was left feeling stumped. He’d heard the spiel about the Shadow Talisman and didn’t think too much of it at first—Sensei was always kind of a loony-penguin anyway. Seriously, who the heck sees a floating building and goes “Oh, that’s interesting…”? Guy simply couldn’t regard Sensei’s warning with anything but skepticism. 

That is until the island started noticing him.

Guy had always been the undercover agent that was focused on his job and reprimanded others for neglecting their duties. That’s why when he entered the Town, he wasn’t expecting to be swarmed with the smiling faces of civilians greeting him and asking him if he flew recently or if the EPF was doing—Wait, the EPF? Why was his organization’s name out there? He pulled the penguin aside and asked for a bit of privacy. When they were out of sight, he put a flipper to the penguin’s chest.

“Where’d you get that name from?” Guy asked.

“You _told_ me!” The penguin looked confused. “Did you forget? You were here twenty minutes ago?”

Twenty minutes? Guy was at the Dojo half an hour ago, so there was no way he could have—

“The smoke…” Guy’s eyebrows raised in disbelief.

“What?”

“Nothing!” Guy raised his flippers. “Just—Hey, do you want an autograph?”

That always seemed to work.

“HECK YEAH, MAN!” The penguin took off his baseball cap. _“You’re so cool…!”_

Startled and not ready for what he was going to step into, he sent a message to the other EPF agents that Sensei wasn’t lying about the danger they were in. The civilians already knew about the EPF, and even worse, he had a bunch of fans carelessly following him around! It got bad to where Guy actually needed to take off and give himself some space.

_[Listen, I’m going to run out of fuel, so I’m gonna need an extra stock of that when I drop in, alright?]_

He was about to put his spy phone away before something caught his eye—the message right above his. Five minutes ago.

_[Agents, I saw an imposter in the Town just now. Looks like Sensei was right.]_

“. . . Fuck.” Guy covered an eye and landed on top of a building. “He’s already talked to them. Our messages look exactly the same—nobody’s going to tell us apart…”

 **_“Exactly!”_ **a voice said.

Guy yelped and glanced behind himself to see his own shadow laughing at his scream. Immediately, it left his side and walked a good five feet away. Smoke rose from the metal that made up the ceiling, forming into Guy’s shape. With a _poof_ , there was a perfect copy of Guy standing in front of himself. The copy lifted up his shades and smirked. It reeked of overconfidence and superiority. Guy could’ve winced from how painful it was to look at.

 **_“Lookin’ for me?”_ ** Guy’s shadow asked, **_“Don’t worry, I’m not goin’ anywhere,”_ **

Everything about this copy felt _off_ , but Guy felt that he would be the only one that’d understand why. Sure, it was all there: the proud look in his eyes, the shades, the suit, the earpiece, and the jetpack that Guy was so sure would fly without any problems at all.

“Sorry, but I’m not in the mood for talking,” Guy responded, approaching, “You’re coming with me to the EPF, and we’re getting all of this straightened out,”

Guy’s shadow backed away, holding up his flippers. His smile somehow managed to get wider, as if he was enjoying himself. He probably was.

 **_“Whoa, sorry, but I gotta pass,”_ ** the copy said **_, “You want me to just drop the ball when I’ve got it rolling already?”_ **

“What do you mean?” Guy squinted.

**_“The fans, dumbass! Didn’t you hear them cheering when you took off into the sky?”_ **

“Yeah, so what?” Guy asked, shrugging, “That’s what fans _do._ Everyone wants to know the guy who rides in the Migrator too—”

**_“Didn’t it feel good to have people finally acknowledging you?”_ **

“Wait, you’re not going to try and convince me that _‘Oh, this is what you wanted all along’_ , right?” Guy spat, “No, I’m not buying into this,”

 ** _“Is SHE really all you have, then?”_ **It closed an eye.

Her? Why would it mention _her?_ Why _now?_

Guy paused. “Blaze?”

It nodded. **_“Yeah, Fireball—her. She all you got?”_ **

Guy didn’t know what to think of the person in front of him. Was he really bringing Blaze into this? He didn’t feel like getting wrapped up in a conversation about his relationship with her—it was strictly professional inside of the facility, everyone knew that. It was professional in public too… right? Same standards! Intimacy is for privacy. Guy knew that. He was sure Blaze understood.

“She’s all I need, can’t you just—?”

**_“And the other agents?”_ **

“They’re good partners!”

**_“You’re under them.”_ **

“W-What?” 

His copy smiled when he saw Guy’s startled expression. It was like watching someone realize that they’d run into a wall that _clearly_ wasn’t there a moment ago. When it was followed up with a glare and a grinding of teeth, Guy’s shadow laughed.

 **_“SORRY, did I hit a nerve?”_ ** it asked, **_“You should keep that temper under control.”_ **

“Shut up.”

**_“But don’t worry, I understand. You’re struggling with yourself, trying to be the best.”_ **

_“Shut up.”_

**_“Gary’s the smart one. Dot’s the cunning Disguise Gal. Blaze is the determined, immovable wall. The Director is the brains behind the scenes. You want to be the Jack of All Trades, right?”_ **The copy leaned back on the air, somehow managing to suspend itself and float on nothing.

Guy took a step forward. “I’m doing what I can! If I fall apart, they’re going to lose it!”

**_“They’re doing just fine without you right now, aren’t they? Who saved the island from Operation Blackout? Was it you?”_ **

Guy looked like he was going to take a swing at his imposter. The shadow had stopped floating, choosing to walk right up to Guy and stare him in the face. The shadow put his hands in his pockets and gave Guy a good look-through. He heard the penguin’s harsh, heavy breathing, saw his sharpened gaze and noticed how his flippers shook out of him restraining his anger.

**_“You’ve already fallen apart. Ace did all of that work for you, Me. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the Jack of All Trades so happens to be an ace as well, yeah?_ **

**_“As I said, you’re nothing without them.”_ **

Guy took a swing at his copy, and he was shocked to find that his flipper went right through the shadow’s form, the entire being bursting into smoke and surrounding him. Guy was swinging at it wildly.

“What do you know about me, huh!?” he shouted, “HUH!? What do you know? You think because you’re some freaky copy of me that you know everything about who I am? You don’t know _half_ of the work I’ve been putting into the EPF. So who the hell cares if I’m looking for a ‘good job’ here or there!? I DESERVE THAT! WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME!?”

**_“I am you.”_ **

Guy coughed as the smoke entered his lungs. He couldn’t stop coughing even after he’d hit the snow-covered rooftop. 

**_“Come on, who cares about where the heck you are in the ranks? Those people out there are going to love you just the same. Give them a bit of a show here and there, and they’ll love you!”_ **

**_“I was just being honest with you. Don’t get so angry all the time. After all, who the fuck cares about your mistakes? Who cares about the bad stuff you’ve got inside? They’re only gonna see the good shit anyway.”_ **

**_“Let it go, and start having fun with your life for once.”_ **

Guy felt like crying. For some reason, he couldn’t tell if it was from the smoke or… **_relief?_ **


	2. Rookie

Herbert had been holed up in the coffee shop for days, having taken a seat on the sofa nearest to the door. It’d been months since he’d last regained his memory. Everything was still fuzzy in his mind, but he managed to piece together most of it. He remembered… feeling happy at some point. Herbert wasn’t exactly sure why, but he walked around looking significantly less grumpy, the feeling of comfort somewhere in his mind. It, unfortunately, wasn’t enough to keep Herbert from hiding his face with a comically-large hat. 

“Bippy!” he heard a voice call.

The polar bear had almost jumped out of his own fur when he heard Rookie’s voice call out to him, coming just after the sound of that tiny ringing bell above the coffee shop’s door. Somehow, Herbert had managed to come across the penguin a long time ago without being recognized, and thanks to Rookie’s persistence, Herbert and Rookie had managed to form an awkward sort of friendship—awkward from Herbert’s end, at least. Well, _Bippy’s_ end—how had Rookie not noticed Herbert’s voice yet?

“Hello,” Herbert said, moving an inch away once Rookie had sat down.

Herbert coughed and glanced at Klutzy, who'd been sitting on Herbert's shoulder the entire time. 

_"Ka-click-click!"_ Klutzy looked amused.

Herbert sighed, shaking his head. "Click..."

Rookie could tell Klutzy was laughing. So, that was it? Herbert didn't have an easy time talking to people.

"Who are you laughing at, _Rookie?"_ Herbert sneered. "Don't encourage him!" 

"I'm sorry, I just find it funny!" Rookie kept laughing. "Talking's easy! You open your mouth and the words come out."

It was at this point in the conversation where Herbert decided he wanted to be hit by a bus. 

"I suppose it's easy for idiots to talk…" Herbert mumbled.

Rookie didn't seem to hear. "If you don't know how to talk, then I can teach you!"

" _You_ are going to teach _me_?" Herbert could almost snort. "Where are you even going to start? Flopping over a banana peel?"

"No, you don't flop over banana peels because that would mean something was there to make you flop over it!" Rookie looked proud of himself.

Forget the bus, Herbert was considering a train. Klutzy was at least enjoying the antics. Rookie was always a fun time for him, and it helped that the penguin was able to speak crab. Klutzy was essentially the bridge between Herbert and Rookie, and the crab was the main reason this friendship even worked.

_"Click-ka-click-click…"_

"Say something funny?" Herbert whispered, "Like what?"

_"Click-click!"_

"That doesn't help! 'Anything' is so broad! I could talk about how this sofa makes my butt itch!" Herbert snapped, pointing to the sofa. 

It was then Herbert realized he was talking a bit louder than normal. A few others in the coffee shop had gone silent for a moment before snickering at him. The polar bear blushed in embarrassment and stood up. Rookie tried talking through his laughter.

"W-Wait— _gasp—_ Bippy!" 

"I'm leaving." Herbert gave Rookie a brief wave after he saw the agent's face.

Klutzy jumped from Herbert's shoulder and landed on the sofa. Rookie saw the front door close and just continued laughing. He never really understood Bippy, but at least the "penguin" seemed friendly enough. Klutzy joined in the laughter, laughing in whatever way a crab could. Herbert was an absolute doofus sometimes.

"Hey, buddy," Rookie said, "Ever tried the Fish Dish Pizza?"

_"Nope," Klutzy clicked, "Favorite topping?"_

"Who cares?" Rookie said, shrugging, "Pizza is pizza!"

At least he could say Klutzy was one of his _best_ friends. 

"We should get the Crab Brigade back together!" Rookie suggested, "Remember how I said if you click the right way, it makes this cool rhythm?"

 _"Rookie, do you know how many crabs that would take?"_ Klutzy pondered the idea. _"We don't have that many crabs just wandering around anymore. The Crab Brigade is still discontinued for now."_

"Nooooooooooo!"

_"Yeeeeeeeeeeeees."_

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Rookie's wails of grief were interrupted by none other than the penguin behind the counter. 

"Uh, you realize you're in a building, right?" they asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, right," Rookie said before whispering, _"Noooooooooo…"_

**_CRASH._ **

Rookie was almost thrown off the sofa as the side of the Coffee Shop burst from a sudden, chaotic explosion. The screams of everyone inside followed, and they all began scrambling for the exit, others running upstairs. Dust was flung into the air, obstructing Rookie's vision entirely. What the heck happened? He saw the giant hole that had been made in a wall, chairs and the other sofa thrown into another, and pieces of concrete and metal strewn about the floor. He could've sworn he saw some weird black smoke trail across the floor and retract into the dust cloud. Once it cleared, none other than… Rookie? Rookie was there?

"Whoa…" Rookie blinked, stunned at seeing a copy of himself. 

Something seemed off about the copy. Though it looked exactly like Rookie, the wide, open smile that the copy wore never went away. It was almost creepy how the smile constantly stayed on its face, almost like it was drawn on with a marker. Its flippers twitched as it poked around the rubble and debris.

 **_"Looks like I got one."_ **The copy peered under a broken piece of concrete to find an injured penguin trapped underneath.

Their flipper shook as they reached out to Rookie for help. They couldn't even speak—Rookie noticed a sharpened piece of glass that had pierced their throat. Klutzy crawled up Rookie's shoulder and tried to hide under his propellor hat.

 _"Quick, we gotta go!"_ Klutzy urged.

"But that penguin—" Rookie tried to protest.

Rookie saw his copy's propellor hat spin on its own, moving so fast that he was sure it could cut something. He heard the whistle of the blades cutting through the air—there was speed behind that spin. The shadow reached down and touched a flipper to the side of the injured penguin's face.

**_"Hey hey hey, knock that frown off your face~!" the shadow sang, "It's never good to laugh alone!"_ **

Almost as if a switch had been flipped, the penguin who had been quivering in fear spontaneously started laughing. The shard in their neck cut deeper in as their thrashing and whimper-ridden cackling disturbed it. Despite the laughter, Rookie noticed the pained, terror-ridden expression on the penguin's face, almost desperate in their attempts to _stop._ They cried, devolving into screams and pleas despite continuing to laugh. It was nightmarish. Rookie needed to leave. 

And so he turned… and met with the face of his shadow by the door.

_What?_

Rookie stumbled back, his mouth agape. 

_"How did he get over there!?" Klutzy clicked in surprise._

**_"Hello, Me! I want to play a game!" Shadow Rookie clapped his flippers and giggled._ **

Rookie dared to ask. "W-What kind of game. . . ?"

**_"Hide and seek!"_ **

Rookie did not want to play hide and seek. 

**_"If you lose. . . !"_ **

Shadow Rookie spread his flippers out wide before clapping them together. Strangely, the sound echoed despite not normally being able to where they were. There was another explosion, this time, from the other side of the Coffee Shop. 

That was when Rookie noticed the laughter had stopped. He looked over to where the rubble first fell and saw it reddened with— 

Rookie started running, and Shadow Rookie started counting.

**_"One… two… three…"_ **


	3. Herbert

Herbert had been nearby when the explosion happened. He had not been expecting Rookie's Shadow of all people to be the cause of it. This entire 'shadow' business in and of itself was something he found ridiculous, but the proof was right in front of him.

He could hear laughter from one of the victims die out immediately after an explosion. At least he was out of the line of fire. The last he saw of the actual Rookie was the penguin fleeing the scene. Herbert noticed Klutzy under the penguin's propellor cap and almost shrieked in horror. He had to go after them— 

Herbert stopped himself the second he saw Shadow Rookie leaving the building, casually skipping after the real Rookie.

"That's a bad idea…" Herbert said, “If I get caught, there won’t be any of me left…!”

So, Herbert saw no better option than heading in the complete opposite direction. There was no way on Club Penguin Island that he was walking into a death trap. Nope, no way. 

… 

It’d been about five minutes before he was sprinting off to where Rookie and Klutzy had gone. Unfortunately, when he stepped back into the Town, they were nowhere to be seen. He facepalmed, screaming into his hands. Goddamnit, Klutzy. The EPF phone in his pocket buzzed again, and he instinctively went to check it.

_[Greetings, Exceptionally Pitiful Fowls!]_

Herbert squinted at the small screen, keeping a sharp eye out for any sign of green feathers. Something caused him to check his back every so often. The winds stopped.

_[You may call me Herbert P. Bear, Esquire! A mastermind to end them all!]_

_[I’m sure you’re wondering how those doppelgangers escaped in the first place!]_

_[You guessed it, it was a part of my utter genius! . . . If only.]_

If only?

_[You see, I am simply a subordinate, a pawn in this game of chess.]_

Herbert heard nothing. The sound of his feet trudging through the snow only grew louder with the silence. He heard the blood in his head stir and almost bubble. 

Breathing was difficult.

He made his way down to the mine, stepping around loose mine carts and dusting himself off. This place was always filthy. He didn’t hear the sound of water running. 

_[In a way, we all are. Especially_ **_you_ ** _, my equally-supreme opposite.]_

Herbert stopped walking. His bones felt like they were beginning to lock up. The drill was right there…! He could use it to get Klutzy back, he’d just have to walk a bit more…

But he couldn’t move. His bones had simply stopped allowing it. It was like something had tied them, affixed them to a point in the air of which no movement was allowed at all. 

Herbert growled. “Show yourself!”

Laughter was the response given. He saw the world around him sway as though he were looking at it underwater. Right next to the drill, space seemed to rip and tear. A gap opened. Inside was an endless void with the only visible thing being several eyes staring back at Herbert. The bear almost choked at the sight of it. His opposite stepped from the gap, one foot after the other carefully onto the floor. A black scarf swayed, defiant of the wind’s absence. The copy looked coy, proud, and in control. And Herbert—well, he couldn’t move an inch.

His breath was chilled.

“ _So, YOU’RE_ the ‘shadow’ those foolish penguins were speaking of?” Herbert glowered.

**_“That I am!”_ ** Shadow Herbert smiled.

He was unnaturally chipper, as though today were the happiest of his life. Shadow Herbert looked like he was resisting the urge to laugh at how trapped Herbert was. 

“Wait until I can move again—!”

**_“Oh, I don’t think you will,”_ ** Shadow Herbert said, shaking his head, **_“You see, you’ve already stepped into my trap,”_ **

With a snap of the fingers, Herbert saw them: strings that stretched from each corner of the mine. They had wrapped around his body, locking his arms in place. The ones that caught him had cut into his skin and flesh. He could see wounds now, deep cuts that he hadn’t been able to feel before. With a swipe of the hands, Herbert’s arms were jerked behind his back unwillingly. His leg bent, his body being forced to start kneeling. Herbert resisted it as much as he could.

 **_“You see?”_ ** Shadow Herbert said, **_“You’ve become a pawn, and me, a king.”_ **

Herbert struggled against the strings, trying his hardest to snap them. To break one—!

**_“The more you struggle, the more you’ll freeze up.”_ **

“What are these strings…?” Herbert noticed that they were perhaps the thinnest things alive.

He’d barely seen them when he walked inside. They were too thin to be seen. Shadow Herbert’s whisper was in his ear.

 **_“My trap, of course!”_ ** Shadow Herbert chuckled. **_“Genius, isn’t it? I would think so! It managed to capture you, of course…”_ **

The copy cleared his throat. “And, unfortunately, I’d say that would make you the inferior one.”

“INFERIOR!?” Herbert snapped his head towards his copy. “I oughta—!”

His leg buckled, and his body kneeled to Shadow Herbert.

**_“Thank you for complying! Finally, we can get down to business.”_ **

Herbert saw his shadow’s pupils split from two to four to eight. They swirled in a hypnotic circle. Herbert shut his eyes and turned his head away, still trying to break out of the strings that had then begun to tighten around his neck. He felt the veins in his neck swell and throb as the strings forced him to look at his shadow. Herbert’s jaw went slack, and his eyes hazed over.

_“T-The drill…”_

**_“Make this easier on yourself. Don’t struggle.”_ **

His mind slowly began to shut itself off.


	4. Gary

“So, you are what Sensei calls a ‘shadow’?” Gary asked, looking over his look-alike, “Fascinating!”

The scientist scribbled notes down on a page, sticking a small tongue out and giggling to himself. Discoveries like this weren’t common at all, and the second Gary had the chance to investigate his doppelganger, he jumped at it. So far, the talk had been productive; Gary and his shadow seemed to get on startlingly well. 

“Yes, I appear to be…” Shadow Gary responded, looking over himself, “A reflection of you, that is,”

“Can you tell me what that feels like?” Gary tilted his head. “I’m not very informed on shadows.”

Shadow Gary simply shook his head, copying Gary’s head tilt. Gary had noticed shortly after meeting his copy that shadows were naturally inclined to mimic their real self. There had been times during the conversation where Shadow Gary had been too distracted by instinct to properly answer questions. To help keep him focused on something else, Gary had given him a wrench to twirl around and hold. 

The shadow’s behavior was distinct; Shadow Gary was shy, quiet, and seemed to be deeply empathic. It was tainted by paranoia—paranoia bad enough to where Gary had to lock them up in a room together without any cameras at all. In fact, Shadow Gary seemed to be afraid of the idea that people were even watching them or that they even existed at all. The mere idea that it wasn’t the only thing alive in the world scared Shadow Gary the most. Its paranoia was sort of ironic, really. Gary supposed his mother would have found that endearing.

“Do you have any memories that stand out?” Gary asked, “Anything big? Anything small? Any people that seem important?”

Shadow Gary mumbled and covered his head, and Gary immediately backed off, realizing that the questions were starting to agitate it. Gary felt the atmosphere shift and change, vapor in the air forming around Shadow Gary in a sort of translucent bubble. The shadow closed up in a ball, surrounded by this strange protective seal. It had a faintly bluish tint. Gary’s eyes widened in awe.

“Well, I wasn’t aware you could do _that!”_ Gary poked at the bubble.

The bubble appeared to be elastic, pushing deeply inwards where Gary had pressed. No matter how far he pushed, it seemed to stretch to accommodate pressure. And the moment he let up, the bubble pushed back against Gary with twice the force. Gary surmised that the force of the bubble would always outmatch what was applied to it. Shadow Gary had the ultimate defense mechanism.

Unknown to both of them, Gary’s outfit had a hidden camera attached to it. In another part of the agency, the rest of the agents were listening in. Blaze leaned forward, her eyes wide.

“Whoa, so this is what shadows are?” She watched as Gary completely failed to pop the bubble. “That’s wild, Sensei wasn’t kidding when he said they were something special.”

 **_“Eh, he isn’t much.”_ ** Guy shrugged, looking unimpressed. **_“Give him a few days and he’ll run off.”_ **

Blaze’s face twisted up as she glanced at Guy. Guy had been acting weird for the entire day, and she couldn’t get what was wrong with him. Heck, even his shades were missing. Something just didn’t feel right. Guy seemed to mimic her judging gaze as if he knew what she was thinking. 

**_“Hey, I’m only saying_ **—look at him!” Guy raised his flippers defensively. “Isn’t he terrified?”

Blaze’s gaze softened, and she turned back to the camera screen. “Yeah, it’s kinda painful to watch. You understand why, right?”

Guy sighed in relief.

“Blackout stuff, right?” Guy asked, “Yeah, I remember. Couldn’t forget,”

Blaze sighed as she watched Shadow Gary turn its back on its copy, trying to find a place to hide in the mostly empty room. Gary had initially offered to put things in the room just so the shadow could hide away, but Shadow Gary insisted that people would hide in them and spy on them. There was really no getting around this guy’s paranoia.

“You’re being awfully casual about it,” Blaze said, “Don’t you have a fear of crabs?”

“W-What?” Guy shoved his shades back over his face. “Of course not, Blaze. Nothing gets to me.”

“Uh-huh…” Blaze nodded, unconvinced. “When I said _‘crab cake’_ the other day, I could’ve sworn the color drained from your face.” 

**_“I’M NOT SCARED OF FUCKING CRABS.”_ ** Guy snapped, his shades cracking as he growled. **_“SHUT UP.”_ **

Blaze stifled a yelp. “Okay okay, calm down!”

 _‘Could this be a shadow?’_ she asked herself.

Before she could process this thought, she heard a shriek come from the screen. She wasn’t aware of what had happened, but the bubble that was previously surrounding Shadow Gary had disappeared. In its place was a distressed shadow, rocking back and forth in place.

**_“It’s gone, I’m not safe.”_ **

**_“It’s your fault.”_ **

**_“You did this.”_ **

**_“I’m going to die.”_ **

**_“I’m going to die.”_ **

**_“I’m going to die.”_ **

“I-It was an honest mistake—!” Gary tried to say.

Blaze could’ve sworn the world went completely silent. She watched as the camera feed instantly cut to a towering, malformed version of Shadow Gary looming over the real Gary. It looked like a cyborg, its body a mesh of parts and flesh. 

“What the hell!?” Blaze flinched, craning her head back a bit.

**_“. . . W h y d O n ‘ t y O U f i x i T, t H e N ? “_ **

The video seemed to cut again. 

Blaze peered at the screen a bit closer. “Wait, why is it doing that?”

**_“Stop leaving your job half-done.”_ **

“The only way this could happen is if—” Blaze’s eyes went wide. _“It’s… not a live feed?”_

**_“Why is it always your fault?”_ **

Gary was stunned silent as Shadow Gary’s pupils shrank to where they were almost unable to be seen.

**_“You did this to me.”_ **

**_“Look what you did.”_ **

The camera feed cut to static. Blaze jumped out of her chair.

“GUY, WE GOTTA—” She paused. “Guy?”

Guy had disappeared. She didn’t know where to. No time for that, she had to save Gary! She ran over to the doors and opened them, running out into the hallway. She noticed that the cameras in the facility all had a red light blinking on them. They were all recording, but why?

She turned a corner and— 

Blaze jumped out of her chair.

“GUY, WE GOTTA—!” She paused. “Guy?”

Guy had disappeared. She didn’t know where to. No time for that, she had to save Gary! She ran over to the doors and opened them, running out into the hallway. She noticed that the cameras in the facility all had a red light blinking on them. They were all recording, but—

“Wait, I was just here…!” Blaze backed up. “What’s going on…?”

 ** _“Don’t you feel like you’re always running in circles...?”_ **

Blaze gasped, glancing behind herself to see what she immediately knew to be her shadow. It was strange; this shadow looked exactly like Blaze before Blaze had joined the EPF. Its voice was a lot softer. It looked weak, wrapped under a cloak as if the sun was threatening to it.

**_“Trying to be more than what you are…?”_ **

“Listen, I need to save Gary,” Blaze hastily claimed, “I don’t know what you’re doing right now, but can you cut it out?”

The shadow looked hurt, frowning. **_“This isn’t a job for you, Blaze. You’re just going to get kicked down again… like you always do.”_ **

“Since when?”

**_“Since Michael.”_ **

Blaze grit her teeth. “Don’t bring him into this.”

**_“Have you even found out what happened to your parents?”_ **

Blaze turned her back and ran down the hallway, turning the corner—

“Since when?”

**_“Since Michael.”_ **

Blaze grit her teeth. “Don’t—cut that out!”

**_“You can’t just run from yourself, Me.” The shadow coughed into a flipper._ **

“Bet!”

Blaze turned the corner again and again and again. She noticed that the more she turned the corner, the more the hallway seemed to become more decrepit and wrecked as time passed. Soon, flames had filled the area, and the facility had been set ablaze. Blaze had begun sweating from the sudden increase in heat.

“You’re going to burn us alive!”

**_“Let’s go home, Blaze.”_ **

**_“Together.”_ **

Fire burst from the left wall, forming into a massive hand that swiped at Blaze. Blaze jumped backward and stumbled to the floor.

“Fuck!”

Blaze covered her head and waited for the scorching feeling of flame, but she instead felt herself getting picked up by an unknown force. The way Blaze was jostled about and rattled made it clear: she was being carried. Her eyes steadily opened, and Blaze met with the face of none other than Michael, his body caught on fire. Startled, Blaze failed to form any actual words. The doors were just up ahead. How had they not turned the same old corner again? 

Blaze noticed a camera rip itself from the wall, wires that had been torn from it giving off powerful sparks of unstable electricity. Shadow Gary’s enraged shrieks could be heard behind them. The doors opened, Blaze saw the light, and she was flying through the air. Gazing back towards Michael, she saw the wires begin to wrap around him and electrocute him. A scream echoed in her ears, and Blaze covered her eyes out of fear of what she’d see. When all went silent, she turned back and saw nothing but traces of black smoke clearing the area where Michael had once stood.


	5. Michael

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the roleplay that this was partially a part of, Michael is the mayor of Club Penguin.
> 
> He's not my OC, so I don't know everything about him.

Michael’s day hadn’t been peaceful ever since this ‘shadow’ incident had hit Club Penguin. With the masses running about like their heads had been removed, there was nothing but noise. The Coffee Shop was in tatters, and he’d already instructed a group of construction workers to get on the job. Rory didn’t seem to be too pleased for some reason, and Michael found that odd; Rory loved his job, and the thought of it bringing him irritation sounded silly… 

A lot seemed off today.

Things only got stranger when he settled inside of the Pizza Parlor and was immediately given a pizza once he’d seated himself. He glanced at the piping hot food in front of him before facing the waiter.

“I didn’t order yet—” he began to say.

“Huh?” The penguin’s face twisted up a bit. “But, you did. Look, I even have the order.”

Michael was handed the receipt. It was exactly what he had wanted to eat today… 

**_“Are you going to eat that or just sit there looking stupid?”_ **

Michael jumped, his eyes widening and raising to see a penguin much like himself sitting on the other side of the table. Their head was rested in a flipper, and their lidded eyes focused intensely on the mayor. Michael turned to the waiter—

… who wasn’t there and was already across the room, serving others. How had they gotten over there so quickly? 

Michael squinted, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

“You’re one of them,” he said, pointing, “Aren’t you?”

The copy grunted in response, confirming Michael’s suspicions. They shifted their head to their other flipper, eyeing Michael with a lackadaisical expression.

 **_“Look, I got you a pizza and that drink you love so much…”_ ** Shadow Michael said, **_“Just talk to me, alright?”_ **

“No, I think I’ll be having this to go—” Michael stood to call the waiter.

**_CRASH_ **

The booming sound of thunder followed the flash of lightning, managing to get the mayor to scream in terror. The penguins inside of the parlor flinched, a child hiding under one of the tables. Michael’s heart dropped at the sight of nothing but rain outdoors. 

**_“No, I don’t think you will.”_ ** Shadow Michael shook his head. **_“Sit down. You and I are gonna have a talk.”_ **

Michael swallowed, looking to everyone else in the room. His jaw dropped when he saw the chef’s uncooked dough frozen in mid-air, the chef herself stuck in the position of catching it. That scared child was frozen in place under the table, and the music had gone absolutely silent. There was nothing but the sound of rain and winds causing a storm outside of the pizza parlor. Nothing moved aside from Michael and his shadow. 

Michael finally worked up the nerve to look his shadow in the eye. The copy was still sitting there, waiting for him to sit down. Shadow Michael gestured to the seat, giving a small smile the moment he saw Michael reluctantly settle down.

“What do you want…?” he asked.

“It’s about Leilani—” Shadow Michael started.

“I’m not interested.”

Shadow Michael pointed outside. “Go ahead, make my day.”

Michael grumbled and stayed in his seat. Shadow Michael’s face brightened a small bit, but that happiness disappeared and was replaced by that same tired expression.

“Look, I don’t like you, and you’re not going to like me,” Shadow Michael admitted, “I promise that. _But,_ I came to talk to you because I need your help right now,”

“I would rather not help that traitor.” Michael folded his arms.

“She is _not_ a traitor!” Shadow Michael slammed a flipper on the table. “If anything, _you_ are! How much of a _dunce_ can you be!?”

“Excuse me?” Michael narrowed his eyes.

Shadow Michael took a deep breath and leaned back in his seat. “I don’t have the time to bicker. Leilani needs _our_ help to get her away from these shadows!”

“Doesn’t she have the EPF?” Michael asked.

“Yes, but the entire island is in jeopardy—pizza’s getting cold by the way—and the EPF have to deal with them as well,” 

“Well, why aren’t you dangerous?”

“Because I have an innate understanding that no matter how bad shit gets, you will always be more of a danger to yourself than I would ever be to you,” 

“... What—?”

“You’re an idiot—sorry, I had to sneak that in there somehow.”

Shadow Michael looked like he was a good five seconds away from punting Michael to the moon, but he restrained himself out of respect for Leilani. 

“Sorry, but I’m not convinced no matter what you say,” Michael said, “Even if the EPF claims to have not killed our parents, where’s their proof that they died anywhere else?”

He glanced at the pizza and picked up a slice, looking up to find the seat across from him empty. Michael jumped a bit, looking around the room before resting his gaze on the front doors. Shadow Michael had opened one of them and was about to walk out into the rain. Before he left, Shadow Michael said one last thing.

“You’re the mayor. Wouldn’t you know that by now?”

The rain helped him slip away into nothing, and he was never seen for the rest of that day. The chef caught the pizza in his arms, and the day moved on like normal.


	6. Dot

Dot’s first instinct when the shadows got on the move was to get to hiding. The Disguise Gal fled to the forest the second she caught wind of Herbert’s shadow, running like death was knocking at her door. Pushing past bushes and branches, Dot disappeared deep into the wilderness. Rotted branches snapped as Dot trod on them in her escape. She didn’t know where the other EPF members were, but that didn’t matter right at that moment. 

The sound of the world around Dot slowly faded as the trees became more and more worn, going from a soft burgundy to a dull gray. The snow was discolored and tainted with specks of black as though someone had sprinkled ash across the ice. Dot began stepping over branches, the smaller ones withering away after they snapped in two from her foot. Dot feet had begun to drag unwillingly, and she felt exhausted. The wind still blew, but Dot heard silence. 

Day cut to night and—

No, it was still daytime; the sun was there, but the sky was black. Dot had almost thought an eclipse had happened out of nowhere, but she remembered that Gary wouldn’t have been quiet about it for a second. Yes, this had happened spontaneously and Dot wasn’t sure if the others were experiencing the same thing. 

Dot shivered, a chill running through her feet and fading. She glanced downward and saw her shadow stretch off ahead, leaving her. That tired feeling Dot felt left her with the shadow, and she was back to normal.

“They’ve found me already…!?” Dot glanced around and raised her flippers, prepared to duke it out.

There was silence… and then speech. 

_“A shadow, you call yourself...?”_

Dot turned her gaze to where the shadow had disappeared, and she rolled off to the side, using the brush as cover from any prying eyes. Leaning forward to see through the dry leaves. Underneath the shade of a fallen tree, there under a cloak was yet another figure, and it towered over Shadow Dot. Dressed in grays and blacks, this person was completely obscured under their clothing—Dot was almost impressed. Dot noticed how her shadow’s shoulders slumped as though she couldn’t be bothered to hold them up on her own.

 _“Apologies, but I will be of no use to you…”_ the figure said, _“Even if we talked, I do not have any topics you would be interested in,”_

 **_“Who are you…?”_ ** Shadow Dot asked, **_“You feel familiar, but…”_ **

_“My name is Bai,”_ Bai said, _“And I am the Master of Shadows,”_

“Master of what now…?” Dot raised her eyebrows.

Under the cloak, Bai’s face couldn’t be seen, but Dot recognized the deep tone as reminiscent of one of the many creatures she’d seen wandering the wilderness. Perhaps Bai was a native, but she wasn’t quite sure of that yet. Sam was a native, and it took the EPF ages to find out a sasquatch existed in Club Penguin.

Dot’s shadow laughed, practically dying. **_“MASTER, huh? I’ve seen a lot of those, and you don’t really look like one.”_ **

Dot caught the glimpse of a frown.

 _“I speak the truth, unfortunately,”_ Bai said, _“Were it my choice, I would be something else. I would be the fish or the strange-looking fluffy ones… or I would be you,”_

Bai clasped his hands together, humming quietly.

 **_“ME?”_ ** Shadow Dot snickered, **_“Man, you’re a comedian. Do you think you’ve even got what it takes?”_ **

_“No,_ ” Bai seemed to smile under the cloak, “ _But I do enjoy the idea of disappearing and being somebody else._

Despite the range of emotions he was showing, Dot couldn’t read Bai at all. He sounded so disinterested, yet he was completely willing to speak his mind. Even her shadow was confused by this, taking a bit to think of a response. It was no surprise that Shadow Dot opted to disregard Bai’s comment entirely and move on to a new subject.

 **_“So, I know you’re the one who’s screwing me up right now?”_ ** the shadow pointed a flipper at Bai. **_“Fix it!”_ **

_“I can not,” Bai replied._

**_“What do you mean ‘can’t’?”_ **

_“My shadow automatically protects me from perceived danger. It does not care what I wish for,”_

Just then, Dot saw a sheet of black sneak under the ends of Bai’s cloak, surrounding Shadow Dot in a circle. Dot saw her shadow fade from view, going invisible. The edges of the black circle that surrounded her jolted, pressure constricting whoever was inside. Shadow Dot became visible again.

**_“This isn’t funny…! Let me out!”_ **

_“I can not do anything,”_

**_“LET ME OUT!”_ **

_“Sorry,”_

Chains covered in a black aura rose from the circle, shackling Shadow Dot and beginning to drag her down into the earth. The more she struggled, the more she disappeared into the slowly-forming pool of darkness. There was nothing there other than a puddle of shadow that slowly retreated back into Bai’s cloak. The figure set himself against a tree and went quiet, no longer humming. The cloak flapped in the wind, but Bai clutched it tight. The frown never left his expression.

_“. . . You can come out now, penguin,”_

From under the cloak, a single eye stared back at Dot, peering directly through the brush. Dot’s heart sunk.


	7. Hana

A metal pot whistles as the freshly brewed tea within finally finished heating. The pleasant aroma of tea filling the lonely forest. With a quick blow, the fire heating the pot was snuffed out. Minutes afterward, strong hands grasped the pot and poured two cups of tea. 

“Thank you…” Hana said, taking her cup, “R-Really, you didn’t have to—”

“I appreciate your company,” Bai interrupted, “There is no need to be humble,”

By chance, Hana had stumbled across Bai, having fled from the shadows just as Dot had. It was only when she had got herself utterly, completely, and absolutely lost that she’d stopped running and began evaluating her position. There was nowhere for her to go—nowhere safe, at least. Hana was stuck, and then Bai had found her. 

“It’s just… I’m sorry, I’m a real mess today.” Hana held the cup close to herself. “It smells nice, what is it?”

“Golden Rose tea,” Bai responded, “Do not worry about apologizing. I understand,”

Curled up against a tree with her flippers over her head, Hana looked terrified. The images of Club Penguin’s gradual destruction were still fresh in Hana’s mind, and the crushing part was that there was nothing she could do. 

“You… do?” Hana’s face softened a bit.

“Yes.” Bai nodded. “I understand. Why are you so anxious?”

“I-I’m sorry?”

“There is a reason for everything, after all.” 

Bai took a sip of his tea and closed his eyes. His mind was quiet, waiting for new thoughts to fill it. Bai hadn’t learned much about Hana in this brief period, but that didn’t matter much. Hana seemed friendly enough—if a bit scared—and she was keeping the conversation moving even if it was filled with words that screamed uncertainty. The penguin seemed to be mostly focused on the dry, dry world that surrounded her. Curiosity sunk into her expression—wide-eyed curiosity that was almost childlike. 

“A-Are you saying there’s a reason for this…?” Hana gestured to the dead trees and dry grass. “You feel really out of place… you know, here and all.”

Bai nodded. “Yes, that would be my doing.”

“W-What!?” Hana flinched. “Why...?”

“I did not mean to.” Bai’s saddened expression was slightly visible even under the cloak. “It is outside of my control.”

Seeing Hana’s confused expression made him continue. “My shadow is the cause of this, you know.”

The sound of the grass shifting about made Bai lift his head from the ground. Hana was moving through the trees again, running off elsewhere. When she looked behind herself, Hana didn’t see Bai following her. She stopped in her tracks, puzzled, and turned around to go look. Peeking out from behind a tree, Hana saw Bai sitting there with the teacup in his hands, looking at the one that had been thrown and discarded on the ground. The figure sighed and pulled down his hood, revealing the speckled face of a panda bear. Hana almost yelped in shock, but she kept quiet. Bai didn’t seem to be looking for her, but why?

Hana wanted to speak out and say something, but if Herbert was anything to go by, bears could be unpredictable. And yet, somehow, Hana didn’t know what to think. She checked behind herself to see if Bai was actually not there or it was actually his shadow or she was being watched right this very moment… and was still unsure. 

So, she came back. “You’re a bear—!”

Bai dropped the cup in his hands and covered his face, turning his head away, shrinking in on himself. “I thought you left…!”

Hana took a few steps towards him, trying to get a look at his face. “I didn’t get far—”

“Please don’t look at me.”

“W-What…?”

“You don’t need to see this face.”

Hana lowered her flipper, opting to not pressure him any further. She took a seat near where she dropped her teacup and grasped the cup in her flippers. The rim was chipped a bit, but it still worked fine. Hana watched as Bai turned his back to her and raised his hood again.

“Something’s bothering you, right?” Hana asked, “What is it? I probably can’t help, but… I _want_ to,”

She winced. “I’m sorry about running off… I know another bear and—”

“He is not the… best of people, is he?” Bai turned his head a bit, letting Hana know he heard her.

Hana shook her head, soon realizing Bai probably couldn’t see her. “Exactly, i-it’s really nothing personal.”

“I don’t mind…”

“But why don’t you mind?” Hana tilted her head. “If it were me, I’d be a bit sad if someone ran off because I reminded them of someone like… H-Herbert…”

Bai didn’t respond, and Hana noticed that the bear’s shoulders slouched as she spoke. Her eyebrows turned upward; she was right about how he felt.

“He can’t be too terrible…” Bai said quietly.

“Y-You’re kidding!” Hana couldn’t even laugh at that. “He’s awful…! Terrible! He’s probably the cause of Sensei’s talisman shattering!”

“I am perhaps worse than him.” Bai shrugged. “I appreciate your company, but I can not feel good about it. I have already ruined the experience…”

“It’s not ruined!” Hana said, “I… uh… I like the Golden Rose tea you poured for me,”

Silence.

“You’re a very kind person,”

“No, I’m not.”

Hana frowned. “Hey, look…”

She got up and walked over to Bai, making sure to grab the pot on the way there. Sitting down beside him, Hana forced him to hold the cup, pouring Bai some of the tea in the pot.

“... there’s something bothering you, a-and I want to help.”

“Why?”

“Well, um, you helped me.” Hana smiled. “Fair’s fair, right?”

“Fair’s…” Bai didn’t seem to understand.

“Fair,” Hana said with a nod, “Y-You know, like… I help you and you help me! So, I’m gonna help you… even if you don’t want me to! I’m gonna!”

Bai gave a tiny smile. “You are a very kind person. Thank you.”

“I don’t need thanks… for doing what’s expected.”

Hana gave a smile of her own. Bai noticed a short glimpse of her shadow peeking out from behind her, flippers draped over her shoulders. It was smaller than the typical shadow, almost half of her height. In Bai’s heart, fear had settled at first, yet he soon relaxed the moment he saw Hana’s shadow merge with herself. His eyes widened a bit, and his smile broadened just a bit further. This penguin was something special.


	8. Ace

"Found anything yet, Agent?" 

**_"Nothing so far, Agent."_ **

When the shadows were recognized as a threat and the EPF were set into action, Ace was one of the first to head out. It didn’t take them long to find their own shadow, and they were fully expecting a brawl of the ages. Ace was more than surprised to find the exact opposite. Shadow Ace wasn’t just agreeable, they were dead set on the same exact task Ace was doing: stop the shadows before they destroyed Club Penguin Island. The two agreed on the same exact things, and they acted in sync with one another, never bickering or sabotaging themselves. No, the only thing that felt off about Shadow Ace was how apathetic they were.

“Nothing?” Ace sighed. “They’re awfully good at hiding, aren’t they?”

**_“Guy won’t be,”_ ** Shadow Ace said,  **_“He would be surrounded by a crowd,”_ **

Ace’s shadow was stoic to the point of it being disturbing. If there was an obstacle in the way, Shadow Ace would find a way through it whether or not it endangered innocents. It was up to Ace to knock reason into their shadow when the time came for them to do it. Luckily, Shadow Ace had contingency plans within contingency plans, and they always had an alternative despite being set back.

Ace’s eyes widened a bit. “What do you mean by that? Does he like crowds? I thought he was supposed to be the hard-focused agent kind of person…”

**_“He is, but he often thinks about what he_ ** **_could_ ** **_be.”_ **

For the most part, Shadow Ace had pretended to be Ace’s shadow for the entire time they’d been together. It was only whenever Ace had gotten attacked by a stray shadow that Shadow Ace revealed themselves. The two of them weren’t sure what The Director would say, but that wasn’t a concern at the moment.

Ace gazed around the Forest for a moment, trying to find a lead on any of the shadows.

“Agent—” he began to say.

They noticed Shadow Ace leaving them, wandering off towards the Cove. Ace stuttered for a moment, hurrying off after their shadow. The grasped Shadow Ace’s shoulder, scowling.

“H-Hey, you can’t just run off like that—”

**_“Found him.”_ **

“Wait, you did…?”

Shadow Ace pointed towards the Cove, and Ace saw Jet Pack Guy come ashore on a board that sported his face. He flipped up his shades and waved to the crowd around him, the cheers drowning out his own laughter. Ace looked dumbfounded.

“He’s like a completely different person…” 

**_“That’s what shadows do,”_ ** Shadow Ace said,  **“They make you someone else…”**

“But… if shadows are just… parts of us we don’t like talking about, wouldn’t that mean we’re just being more of ourselves?” Ace reasoned. “Sure, it’s not good if you’re harming other people by being yourself, but Guy looks like he’s being less of a… uh… penguin with a stick up his rear.”

**_“We’ve found our target.”_ ** Shadow Ace walked down the steps to the Cove. 

Ace winced, hurrying after their opposite. “I guess I’ll let you take the lead for now…”

So, Ace found a safe place behind the lifeguard’s chair and hid, watching the two of them. Guy was dressed extremely casually, having your typical surfer-guy outfit on. Perhaps the most eye-catching thing was the necklace of shark teeth he sported. Still, Guy had his jet pack strapped to himself. Jet Pack Guy’s face seemed to droop into a frown the moment he saw Ace approach.

“Aw c’mon,  **not you again…** ” Guy groaned. “What now?  **I’m not on the job, so buzz off!”**

Guy glanced around and tried to distance himself from the crowd. “Hey, give me some space!”

He grabbed Shadow Ace and— 

Ace blinked and the two of them had already gone. There was a brief rumble, and a strong wind began shoving everything in a single direction.

_ “T-That air pressure!”  _ Ace exclaimed.  _ “He’s fast…!” _

Ace was knocked to their feet from that gust of wind. The lifeguard’s chair slammed into them, forcing them into the snow. The last thing he saw was a glimpse of Guy’s silhouette leaving over the hill of snow.

“So what’s all this about, Ace?  **I’ve got fans back at the Cove itching to see me out there.”** Guy folded his arms.  **“Make it quick. I’m already not interested.”**

“Aren’t you supposed to be looking for the shadows?” Shadow Ace leaned in close. “The Director gave us a task, correct?”

“Well, yeah,  **but that’s not my problem right now.”** Guy yawned.  **“I’ve got more important things to do.”**

“Trying to impress a crowd of people you have no real connection with is not more important than doing your job.”

Guy flinched a bit, raising his shades and narrowing his eyes at Shadow Ace. No matter how hard Guy looked, Shadow Ace looked exactly like the regular Ace, down to the last detail. Still, the way Shadow Ace stared at him blankly as though was unnerving. Not a single hint of emotion showed itself, and the silence Shadow Ace gave as they awaited a response was starting to creep Guy out. 

“So… uh… are you okay, Ace?” Guy set his shades back down. “Something feels off about you…”

**_“I am fine, if a bit miffed at your lack of competence,”_ ** Shadow Ace responded.

“Hey now, man, that ain’t cool…” Guy furrowed his brow. “I didn’t drag my ass away from the others to get lectured—”

**_“Your personal life is none of my concern.”_ ** Shadow Ace waved a hand flippantly.

“. . .  **_You’re not really them, are you?”_ ** Guy glared. 

Shadow Ace didn’t respond. Guy reached into his pocket and pulled out his spy phone, calling someone.

**_“Hey, you might want to get down here.”_ **

There was a flash of light, and a rip in space. Paws reached out of a newly-formed gap in space and out stepped Shadow Herbert. His voice demanded attention, and the two penguins had no problem giving it. 

**_“WELL, WELL, WELL,”_ ** Shadow Herbert said,  **_“I’ve always been impressed with your work, fowl, but I would’ve never expected you’d be a traitor!”_ **

“I was never aligned with you,” Shadow Ace responded, “If you’re hurt by my defection, I don’t care.”

Shadow Herbert laughed, grasping his head.  **_“HURT!? Oh, you foolish penguin… No, I’m ECSTATIC! I get to dispose of you!”_ **

His grin was certainly wide enough for Guy to believe it. With a flick of the hand, extremely thin strings shot out from Herbert’s claws, beginning to litter the area. In a matter of seconds, the Forest was one massive trap. Shadow Ace evaluated his surroundings and— 

**_“Oh, do you plan on leaving?”_ ** Shadow Herbert leaned forward.  **_“Unfortunately, that won’t be possible. Nothing escapes my traps. Not even a shadow’s gaseous form.”_ **

Guy flinched. “H-Hey, wait, you mean I’m trapped in here too!?”

**_“That would be correct.”_ **

“That wasn’t a part of the deal, Herbert!” Guy pointed at him angrily. “You said I’d be left out of this!” 

Shadow Herbert simply shrugged.  **_“Your first mistake was trusting my word, but I suppose you were just THAT desperate, weren’t you?”_ **

**_“So inferior.”_ **

**_“So useless.”_ **

**_“No wonder your name is a part of your title.”_ **

**_“You’re a tool.”_ **

Guy choked.  **_“You little SHIT.”_ **

“Guy, don’t—” Shadow Ace began to say.

But it was too late, Guy was already charging towards Herbert. The moment Guy’s body came into contact with a few of the strings, Herbert snapped his fingers, and Guy found that he was locked into place. Stuck in that running motion, Guy couldn’t even move to turn his head. Shadow Ace thought they could free Guy until they noticed the strings, and they stayed put. Herbert grinned, facing Shadow Ace.

**_“You’re still sharp as ever.”_ ** Shadow Herbert nodded.  **_“Staying put was the correct decision. Be good while I’m gone, will you?”_ **

A portal opened beneath Guy’s feet, and he began sinking into it.

“W-WAIT… WAIT, HELP—ACE! ACE, DO SOMETHING—!”

Shadow Ace watched as Guy disappeared. 

“So all I have to do is not touch any of the strings…?” Ace raised an eyebrow. “Easy.”

**_Ah, they were so confident. I suppose that’s why I enjoyed having them as my rival. They were braver than Gary, more emotional than Guy, and just a bit more perceptive than the Director herself. The ‘Jack of All Trades being an Ace’... that was perhaps the smartest thing Guy had ever said._ **

**_And the foolish penguin, they looked at me with… nothing. This wasn’t ‘Ace’. This was a copy of that agent. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t accept such an inferior replication. But… I am to follow orders._ **

**_You understand, right? You, the one beyond the screen reading my thoughts. You understand I’m useless, right? I’m useless until used. Until someone deems me ‘useful’. Otherwise, I don’t matter, and I should rot. That is how tools work, right?_ **

“These strings… they’re connected to you, aren’t they?” Shadow Ace said. 

**_“Yes,”_ ** I responded.

**_I could spare that much information, at least. In chess, you must always be one step ahead of your opponent. There simply was no way for this agent to leave so long as my trap was here. All I had to do was—_ **

“Agent, have you found the shadows yet?”

**_Another one, another Ace—there they were behind me. They held the same expression as the first. Blank. Empty. Emotionless. The puppet stared at them for a moment._ **

“I have found one, Agent.”

**_I forced my puppet to stare back to the first agent._ **

**_One of them was the shadow, but which one?_ **

**_If you were able, Reader, would you tell me?_ **

**_I didn’t know. They both stared me down. One was outside of the trap, and one was within it. I could only make one at a time. They hadn’t revealed their power yet or—_ **

**_Duplication! Probably, perhaps… but if that is the case, how many could they create? I hadn’t seen any trickery on the agent’s behalf._ **

**_Who? Who was it?_ **

**_Who? Which one is real!? WHICH?_ **

**_WHY CAN’T I TELL!? I KNOW WHO’S FOILED MY PLANS TIME AND TIME AGAIN._ **

**_I KNOW WHO THEY ARE._ **

**_I KNOW._ **

**_I̩̺͉̍͆̃̓͢ ͍̠̇̕KŅ̘͙̤̃͒̑Ọ̗̬̼́̅̿̈W.̟͎̺̤̬̊̿̍͌͠_ **

**_I̩̺͉̍͆̃̓͢ ͍̠̇̕KŅ̘͙̤̃͒̑Ọ̗̬̼́̅̿̈W.̟͎̺̤̬̊̿̍͌͠_ **

**_I̢͉̳̬͌̔̆̌ ͎̩͋̓̽̕͜ͅK̗̯̻̾̍̑͘͢͜͞N̦̬̏͛OW̧̦̘̬̒͌̋̾.̦̦͎̅͗̇ ̧͉͆̐I̢͉̖͙͊̐͐̈’̫͙̜͗̃̔M̦̗̊̓ ͕̻͒͝SU̢͔̤̩̓̋͠P̢̣͎̊͐͘E̮̺̠̰̎́͛͂R̨̳͍̜͒̂͗̈Ị̢̇̓Ȯ͍̗̤̳̒̈́͐R̻̒ ̭̺͖͔̃̇̐̔T̜͍͉̮͌̊̌̑Õ̳̟̆͟͡ ̜͕̋͘Ţ̭̯̆͐͐̓ͅH̛̞̥̼̭̓͋͡Ã̦̳̲̉̇̃ͅT̖͘ ͍͔̔̉̈́͢F̧̮̀͘I̺̭̜̺͒̽́̄L̞͑T̠͊H̫̩̞́̈́͡Y̡̓ ̨͈̼̘̅͆͊̏͘͜SĂ̡̖̥̇͞ͅC̺̫̮͒͊̉K͕̕ ̘̱͇͐̀̒Ỏ͟F̗͛ ͇͡F̪͇̻̘̿̿͞Ù̹͙̙͙͆̑͗R͉̫͂̽̄̕͢͢.̹̱̆̒ ͓͙̓͆Ḯ̢̘̪͎̈́̓̓ ̡̦̹̅̓̊̃ͅÄ̛͈̞͇̼́͡͞M̧̂ ͕̳͋̊̈́ͅẢ͈̩̺͒̽̑͜ ̛̒͢͟S̛̘̤Ḩ̛̺̱̆̍A̰̣͊̿DÓ̝̖̕W.̣̜̹͚͌͛́̉ ͙̣̙͔͒͊̎̀͛͜I̡̹͆͒ ̢̙̯̔͋̏K͓̦͙͂́͆N̲̭̝̲̔͐͒̆O͗ͅW̰̦̺̫͌͑̅̚͜͠.̨̧̥͙͐̃͌̆_ **

**_S̡͇̥̦̄̀̚͠T̡͚͈̪̾̅̄͑Ŏ̰̩̚P ̮̱̮͑̏͘L̼͞Â͚Ư̻͇̞̼͌̂̑G͕͙̖͈͑̌̑̉H̺̅I̛̗͊͜N̩̑̕͢G ̛͖͕̬̘͂̊̔̈́ͅA̬̮̣̅̏̌T̗͑ ̧̩͗̕M̻̙̰̊͐̕É̟̝.̰̫̿ ͔͚̹̬͗͗̉͞Ĩ͎ ͉̐H͔͓̳͉͗̿͘̕A̛̘̦͈͒̾T̛͉̯͎̈̚E̯̫̫͐͋̊ ̢̦̩̌͛̀Y͎̒͆͟O͚͒U.̢̦͍͓̦͐̾̋̊͘_ **

**_Y̖̑OU͇͔̜̍͂̇ W̯̳̲̬̋̈̂̿HO̞͑’̱̮̭̭̉͂̐͠S̼̺̪͖̉̐̌̎ ̢̟̱͛̆͑̕ͅR̤̀Ē̡̛̫̺̯͕͛̕A̧͒D̻͊IN̘̍G̢̢̟̳̊͑͗̕ ̳̻͓͂̃͝T͙̦̟̂͑͊H̤͔͇̏̓͟͡I̖͇̦̗͔̋̀͊̌͝S͍͆̂̋̚͢͢͜.͖͆_ **

**_D̛͍O̬̱̐͌ ̰̦̠̊͑͊̎͟Y̦̻̞͌̽Ö͍̜́̇̓ͅŲ͇̯̹̓̀͘͘ ̱̤͐̾F͎̌Į̮͔̹͂͋̉͠ND̡̹̭͂̎͆ ̜̻͖͂̀̑͊͢T̨̰̪̔̔H̙͊I̮͓̚̚S͈̥͒̄̒̒͟ͅ ̨̞̼́̋͌F͍͆U̡̮̠̇̂̃̕͜N̞̼̑͝Ṉ̛͔̮̼̟̍̀̅̕Y̻̐?͉̮̅͠_ **

**_Į̘̟̝͇̂͐͋̊̔’͈͙͕̹̖̀̂͂̽̚L̛ͅL̢ ͔̩͎̌̀̈͒͢KĮ͚͇̹̦̎͂͌̍L̹͍̻̐̀͘L̨̦͘͟͞ Y͖̓Ọ̢̘̅͘U̳̘͉̘̓́̐̒.̦̰̬̑͋̓͜͠_ **

**_Í̦̠̬̮͊̂̃̄͢’̮̠͌̋L̝̝͐̾L̳̂ ̳͞B͈U̩͚̟͂̓̅R̝͞Y̰̒ ͚̮͎̉̉͞Y̩̿Ọ̓Ů̪ WIT̡͇̟̓̋͞H̪̹̔̀ ͔̑M̼̭̦͂̔́Y ̗̊B̗̹̤́͝͡A̗͐Ȓ̫̺̬̀ͅE ͓̝̈́͒H͕̥̺̾̋̐A͙̜̪̥͕̋̓̎̈́̚Ň̖͔̗͔́̈̌̈́͜D̢͖̙̿͑̽S̖̕.̻͇̐̔͢͡_ **

**_Ḏ͎͈̞͎̓͗͛̽͋EÀ̤͉̘͔̹͇̣̩͓̞̹͖͚͎̳̰̲̝̼͂̏͋͛̎̈́̉̍̐̀̈͐͋̐̊͑͊͛̕͟͜͝T̨̢̝̰̰͕͇̗̩̱̯͈̹͚̉̽̽̃͂̂̋͗̌͑͗̆̃̚͘͟͠ͅḨ̨̧̨͎̤̺̯̘̥̗͇͓̙͕̫̼͉̲̄̽̌͗̔̑̎͊͋̓̓̈͒͒̅͐̚͘͘͜͢͡.̨̲̣̗̼͉̯̎̓̌̒͗̆͠_ **

**_Ḏ͎͈̞͎̓͗͛̽͋EÀ̤͉̘͔̹͇̣̩͓̞̹͖͚͎̳̰̲̝̼͂̏͋͛̎̈́̉̍̐̀̈͐͋̐̊͑͊͛̕͟͜͝T̨̢̝̰̰͕͇̗̩̱̯͈̹͚̉̽̽̃͂̂̋͗̌͑͗̆̃̚͘͟͠ͅḨ̨̧̨͎̤̺̯̘̥̗͇͓̙͕̫̼͉̲̄̽̌͗̔̑̎͊͋̓̓̈͒͒̅͐̚͘͘͜͢͡.̨̲̣̗̼͉̯̎̓̌̒͗̆͠_ **

The two Ace’s noticed how Shadow Herbert seemed to twitch and buckle, parts of his body stiffening and locking in place. Slowly, they began to see the strings that tied the bear in place. The Ace behind Herbert, outside of the trap, looked shocked for a moment.

_ ‘That isn’t even Shadow Herbert…’ _

Mentally, they were tied to their shadow. Ace and Shadow Ace could communicate telepathically. 

**_‘No, Herbert is being used as a puppet right now…’_ **

_ ‘That’s awful! What do we do, then?’ _

**_‘We wait.’_ **

_ ‘Why?’ _

Just then, smoke spewed from Herbert’s mouth, black smoke that forced the bear to cough. His legs buckled, and he dropped to his knees, choking. The smoke gradually formed into a deformed recreation of Herbert himself, covered in black fur that gave off a dark aura. A roar left the monster’s throat as it charged for Shadow Ace.

**_‘This is why.’_ **

In that instance, Shadow Ace’s expression tightened, and they swapped to the flashlight tool on their Spy Phone, shining it at the monster. Shadow Herbert shielded his eyes, stumbling backward. Ace was dragging a weakened Herbert away from the fight.

“Stay quiet and he won’t notice us…”

Herbert couldn’t respond, staring back at Ace with an indescribable mix of emotions on his face. There was disgust, gratitude, anger, and relief all rolled into one. The bear glanced at his copy facing off against Shadow Ace, and he silently rooted for the penguin as consciousness left him entirely.


	9. Bai

Long ago, Sensei had mastered the elements of Card-Jitsu, easily conquering Fire, Water, and Snow. Yet, the one he had the most trouble with was none other than Shadow, an element that proved to be the cruelest to learn. Everyone had a side of themselves that they hated to speak of, and Shadow nestled within these other halves. The brighter the soul, the darker the shadow. The happiest of people could have the worst of opposites. Sensei understood this when he aimed to master the art. The ultimate challenge that deemed one a Shadow Ninja was the defeat of their own shadow.

Sensei, taking the initiative, kept the element hidden. Unfortunately for the penguin, nothing would disguise the black gem on that amulet. The elements needed each other to be balanced, and Shadow was the one that joined all of them together. Yet, as Card-Jitsu Shadow was able to severely injure students, nobody was to practice Card-Jitsu Shadow.

But before that, Bai became a student. 

**_“Who are you, Sir?” the bear had asked._ **

_ Sensei looked upon him with curiosity. The polar bear was hunched over, almost Sensei’s own height. Bai’s hand was kept close to his chest as though he were guarding something.  _

Unremarkable in most aspects, the panda assumed that he didn’t have a talent. It wasn’t hard to see why. Bai was a bumbling fool more often than not, and he was out of touch with modern times. Bai had lived on Club Penguin Island since his birth as a shut-in, stricken with an illness that endangered his life. Even still, the bear paid this no mind, and he went about his years trying to experience what he was once incapable of. One of the first penguins he met was Sensei.

_ “Are you familiar with the ways of Card-Jitsu, Grasshopper?” _

_ The panda bear’s gaze seemed to sharpen as the offer was proposed. Sensei arched an eyebrow at the sudden change in posture. The bear placed a hand firmly over his heart as he stood tall over Sensei. _

**_“N-No… but I would be willing to learn!”_ **

And so Sensei made Bai a student.

Bai turned out to be a natural ninja much like Sensei himself, and he learned Card-Jitsu Snow more easily than Fire or Water. Sensei was there to watch Bai grow from weak to power over the years, with each element the bear learned adding to his repertoire. Bai was endlessly grateful, and his talent truly shined under Sensei's guidance.

_ 'Furred and so fragile _

_ Yet he dreamed of brighter days _

_ I watched him grow strong' _

Bai had begun idolizing Sensei, seeing the old penguin as a gateway to the life Bai wasn’t allowed to have. The bear’s heart swelled with happiness, and Sensei remembered the confident smile Bai would give whenever a new challenge was given. Having been incapable of taking care of himself, Bai was more than ready to tackle any and every challenge life could throw at him. As he learned directly under Sensei’s guidance, Bai was a force to be reckoned with. And soon enough, Sensei had taught him all three elements one after the other.

Yet, Bai was unsatisfied, and he had grown curious.

_ ‘I was unaware, _

_ The bear was too curious, _

_ And my heart, too weak’ _

**_“My sensei, what is this black gem on my amulet?” Bai rubbed at it with a thumb._ **

_ “The missing link in the elements’ chain,” Sensei responded, sipping his tea. _

**_“The missing link?” Bai asked, “You mean there is one more element that ties the others together?”_ **

_ Sensei’s words only made Bai more curious. Sensei didn’t feel comfortable with not responding to Bai’s question, and so he responded with a vague answer. Yet, upon seeing the bear’s eyes shimmer with wonder, the sensei winced and mentally cursed himself. In Bai’s expression, Sensei saw an old friend that had respected him just as much as Bai did: Tusk. There was that same eagerness to learn and conquer the elements that Tusk held in his heart. Sensei supposed that was why he agreed to teach Bai.  _

_ That was why he let himself forget why the practice of Card-Jitsu Shadow was forbidden. That was why he forgot.  _ **_Wasn’t it? It was, wasn’t it?_ **

Sensei’s shadow was characterized by guilt and vengeance. It was an ugly mixture of anger, pride, and regret. When Bai began learning the ways of Card-Jitsu Shadow, he was subject to Shadow Sensei’s behavior. The rules were simple; the two duelists would pit each others’ shadows against each other in a game of attrition. Burn away the other ninja’s reservoir of cards entirely, and you would win. You would bring a set amount of cards into the battle (there was a limit on power cards) and hope your setup was perfect. Shadows would give you a special power card, one that reflected the inner self. They each had their own power, something special that no other card (even other Shadow Cards) could do. Sensei’s shadow was manipulative, disturbingly perceptive, and resentful of everyone, incapable of being happy unless it was at someone else’s expense. Yet, he was controlled. He was a harsh teacher, but he was still controlled. It was only during a Card-Jitsu battle that Shadow Sensei became merciless.

**_“Come now, strike at me!” he shouted, “You chose this path, now follow through!”_ **

**_“I will not accept failure!”_ **

**_“You may tend to your wounds after this lesson is finished. I will not bend.”_ **

If there was a rule to be broken, Shadow Sensei would break it. Yet, he imposed limitations on whoever battled against them. While they would play fair, he would not. Unfortunately, Sensei could not intervene. Sensei’s own shadow was too evenly matched with him. Bai found himself pushed to his limits, and his knees frequently gave out during lessons. The tone he heard from his sensei was not something he recognized, and it startled him. Though Sensei had stayed quiet for most of Shadow Sensei’s instruction, he spoke up when Bai became unable to walk for a day.

_ “You are becoming too violent!” Sensei once said, “He is still young—” _

**_“Whose mistake is that?” Shadow Sensei interrupted, “Who agreed to teach him?”_ **

_ “I-I…” _

**_“If you can not accept your own choices, you do not deserve to be called ‘Sensei’.”_ **

It was the final lesson Bai had to undergo—the one that would finally draw out the potential of his shadow—during nighttime. When the panda bear stepped through the doors of the Dojo and saw Sensei, he took in a sharp breath. Sensei, having noticed this, grew quiet for a moment, and allowed Bai to rest before the lesson.

_ ‘You must restrain yourself.’ _

**_‘I promise nothing.’_ **

The lights in the Dojo were the only source of light Bai had, and somehow it made his teacher’s silhouette even more ominous than he’d learned it to be. From the darkness stepped Shadow Sensei, and on sight of him, Bai’s Shadow sprung to his defense. Though normally his shadow was a perfect copy of him, now it was nothing more than a shapeless cloud of smoke. The bear was shaking, terrified of the penguin in front of him, but he still wished to succeed. This monster was not his Sensei. It was not Sensei—couldn’t be Sensei. Shadow Bai stood protectively in front of the real Bai, ready to do battle once again. 

. . . 

When Bai’s vision had returned, Sensei was standing over him, an apologetic expression taking over his face.

**_“I lost…”_ **

_ “On the contrary, you did wonderfully,” _

Bai was so surprised he almost went unconscious again, yet Sensei helped him from the floor and looked over his wounds. He presented Bai with his own Shadow Talisman, the sign that he was a Master of Shadow. The bear felt himself cry out of relief and gratefulness, his many years of study finally paying off. He went to bed that day and slept peacefully—more peaceful than any other night he’d been alive.

Sensei was not so fortunate. 

Sensei’s mind was plagued by the lie he’d told and the line that was crossed. He should have stopped his shadow before the final lesson was given, but he said nothing. Why had he said nothing?  **_Why did you do nothing?_ ** He was sure he could have done something. Bai was terrified of him. Nothing would stop the sudden flinches whenever the bear noticed Sensei raise a flipper to point to one thing or another. 

Bai had lost that battle, yet Sensei lied.  **_Why did you lie?_ ** _ He did not deserve that.  _ **_You had your chance, and it was wasted. What are you?_ ** _ I will not let you control me—!  _ **_Pitiful._ **

Bai, subject to Shadow Sensei’s torment, feared for his life. Shadow Bai, sworn to protect the bear, saw everything as an enemy—those that never meant him harm couldn’t come close or Shadow Bai would attack. Shadow Bai only wished to protect, but this created nothing but loneliness and even more fear. Realizing he was a danger to the people he loved, he fled away to the wilderness once more and became forgotten. Nobody was to find him.

Any and all misfortune that would fall upon Bai was to be given to someone or something else. If someone wished to kill him, they would be killed by his shadow. If it were to rain, something nearby would collapse to shield him from it. 

He could not take his own life. He’d tried before. His shadow protected him from that as well.

Imagine his surprise when another penguin had found him. “Hana,” he was told. Hana… 


End file.
